Distracted Driving at Work

Key points

Driving requires our full attention, and distractions get in the way. Three types of distraction affect our ability to drive safely: visual, manual, and cognitive. Employers can take actions to prevent distracted driving among workers.

What it is

Distracted driving occurs any time you take your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off your primary task: driving safely. Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of being involved in a motor vehicle crash.

Workers in many industries and occupations spend all or part of their workdays on the road. One study showed that compared with other drivers, those who were at work were more likely to be in a hurry to reach their destination, think about work, be tired, or use a cell phone.

Types of distractions

• Visual: Reading a text message, looking up directions, rubbernecking (craning one's neck to get a better view) at a crash site, and other distractions that involve taking your eyes off the wheel
• Manual: Reaching for things inside the vehicle, using a handheld device, adjusting the radio, eating or drinking, and other distractions that involve taking your hands off the wheel
• Cognitive: Talking on the phone, arguing with a passenger, thinking about your next appointment, and other distractions that involve taking your mind off driving****

More on cognitive distractions

Cognitive distractions affect your ability to be fully engaged in driving, even when your hands are on the wheel and you're watching the road. These can be triggered by people, objects, or events – or they can simply be random thoughts.

Facts and stats

• Research shows that drivers who use cell phones may be looking at but failing to see up to 50% of the information in their driving environment.
• In 2020:
• 3,142 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver
• 587 non-occupants (e.g., pedestrians and cyclists) died in a crash that involved a distracted driver
• At any given time in 2020, an estimated 2.8% of all drivers on the road were visibly using a handheld device, representing a slight decrease from 2.9% observed in 2019.
• Research suggests that distraction is present during 52% of normal driving.
• On average, a non-fatal injury crash at work that involves distraction costs the employer $100,310.

Why phones are distracting

Your brain has limited capacity for attention. Research shows that hands-free phones are just as distracting as handheld phones.

What employers can do

Use the following recommendations to prevent distracted driving on the job.

• Ban all phone use (texting, handheld, hands-free) while driving a company vehicle, and ban use of company-issued phones while driving a personal vehicle.
• Require workers to pull over in a safe location to look up directions, text, or to make or receive a call.
• Consider using phone-blocking technology to limit workers' cell phone use while driving.
• Consider using technology that detects and warns drivers of distracted driving behaviors (such as cameras that detect when eye gaze is not on the road).
• Prepare workers before implementing these policies by communicating what they need to do to comply and what action you will take if they do not follow policies. Consider having workers acknowledge that they have read and understand these policies.

Federal and state laws

Most U.S. states ban texting while driving, and a growing number also ban the use of handheld devices. Get information on state laws. Drivers of commercial motor vehicles (e.g., large trucks and buses) are not allowed to send or read texts while driving, or use a handheld device while driving. Find information on commercial motor vehicle laws.

What workers can do

If you drive as part of your job:

• Do not use your phone while driving.
• Pull over in a safe location to look up directions, text, or to make or receive a call.
• Make necessary adjustments (e.g., adjust controls, program directions) to your car before your drive.
• Do not reach to pick up items from the floor, open the glove box, or try to catch falling objects in the vehicle.
• Avoid emotional conversations with passengers, or pull over in a safe location to continue the conversation. For normal conversation, passengers in the vehicle can often help lower crash risk for adult drivers by keeping them focused on driving.
• Focus on the driving environment — the vehicles around you, pedestrians, cyclists, and objects or events that may mean you need to act quickly to control or stop your vehicle.

Newsletter

Distracted Driving Behind the Wheel at Work (2020)

Graphics

Use the following graphics to encourage safe driving, on and off the job.

Where this page came from

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